Stay ConnectedMotherhood is hard. We shouldn’t have to do it alone. We should be navigating it with those who have gone before us and we should be bringing our wisdom to those around us.
In this space Rachel pulls back the filter and has hard conversations that change the world, one mother at a time.
My mom is awesome. She taught me plenty of amazing life lessons like how to be confident, how to work hard, how to bake, what lifelong friendships look like, and so much more. But homegirl cut me short on a few things, or rather... I didn't learn a few things she was trying to teach me. Some of this list is pretty trivial but there are some big ideas behind them that I hope you can relate to and grow from in your own parenting.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic I’m feeling all the feelings. And many of them are regarding this idea of productivity during quarantine. I’m sure you’ve seen the tweets, memes, and “encouragements”. Today I'm addressing them and discussing how we can be the ones to finally break the cycle of shame.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
My good friend Kellie has been busting me up for too long to let you get to know me a bit better. Kellie has the insane ability to draw the authentic, deep stuff out of me so who better to ask me some questions!
We discuss how I can get my house ready for company in 15 minutes or less (go deeper by listening to this episode), my upbringing, the hardships in my past , my 6th and 7th kid, forgiveness, my biggest trigger: injustice and SO MUCH MORE! I can't believe all Kellie was able to draw out in just one short interview.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
Don’t be scared, I promise I’m not that trendy. But the atmosphere we set in our homes IS important. What we intentionally set up as the vibe has major shockwaves through our families. In this episode I’m sharing all about how the “vibe” of our home has impacted us.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
I had the honor of interviewing Pastor Lee Brooks this week who has deeply impacted me personally. Her relationship with the Lord has always inspired and encouraged me.
This episode defines prayer and intercession, encourages us on how to teach our kids to pray & the why. The biggest secret to guiding our kids Lee shares with us, is one that her Spiritual Mother shared with her years ago. Here's a hint... it's about our heart condition not our abilities. I hope you enjoy this episode packed with wisdom, practical tips, and encouragement.
DON'T MISS LOADS OF BONUS CONTENT ON THE BLOG INCLUDING ALL MENTIONED RESOURCES!
Connect with Pastor Lee on Instagram, on Facebook , or by email
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
Pastor Heather Stow joins us to share her insight on how we can help our kids navigate being good friends. Heather defines good friends as kind & strong. Within this framework we dive into boundaries (both as parents and for our kids), discipline, and problem solving.
Some of my favorite take aways from this interview include Heather's practical tools to model good friendship by setting it as a priority as well as her transparency about her failures. She shares how she uses failure to illustrate what not to do with her kids and involves them in conversations about how it could have gone differently.
Heather also drops a serious word for us about discipline vs punishment. It was definitely the mic drop moment of this interview (check it out at minute 29 if you only have a few minutes right now). Enjoy!
I'm back friends! After taking a bit of time off the mic I thought it was only right that I come back and share about what has kept me from you for a month. Join me for 25 minutes as I explain the phrase "Perfection Paralysis", tell you what I'm reading, what I'm listening to, and what I'm learning.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
You Are the Girl for the Job: Daring to Believe the God Who Calls You
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
Suicide brings pain that is unbearable and often indescribable. Kayla bravely shares how she has found defiant joy through the grief of her husband's death by suicide.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide please do not wait to reach out for help. Below find some resources that Kayla mentions in the episode.
Call 1-800-273-8255 Available 24 hours everyday
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a real human. No judgment—just straight-up listening.
Kayla Stoecklein resides in southern California with her three young boys. Her life was flipped upside-down by the sudden loss of her husband, Andrew. In the wake of his death Kayla has bravely and vulnerably shared her deepest pain with the world. Her pain has become her purpose as she continues to encourage others who are struggling while pointing them to God along the way. When she has a day to herself you can find Kayla sitting by her favorite lifeguard tower at the beach, sipping an iced coffee, reading a good book, and searching for little glimpses of heaven on earth.
CONNECT WITH KAYLA - https://www.godsgotthis.com/ or on her Instagram.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
January is the month that everyone proclaims this will be the year, this will be the time they finally get organized once and for all. AND I'M 100% 👏🏻HERE 👏🏻FOR👏🏻 IT! 👏🏻I want to see you succeed at organization! And I want to help!
Head on over to the blog for loads of resources, a FREE PRINTABLE CHECKLIST, and some encouragement.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
Today’s episode is not typical. It is all about encouraging you that while the holidays may be messy that is OK. I want you to walk into these next few days with an expectancy and excitement that the birth of Christ deserves!
Navigating difficult relationships, grief, and overwhelm can be so hard. I share with you today the things I have done to overcome these obstacles and create beautiful Christmases.
It’s not about how good the food is, how cute our decorations are, it’s not about the presents, or how well appointed our home it. Our value is not wrapped up in that. Our value is not wrapped up in what people say about us. Our value and our identity is not wrapped up in how people react to us. It’s wrapped up in who God says we are.
He says we are chosen, we are called, we are saved, and we are redeemed.Try to keep those things in the back of your mind and the forefront of your focus.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
-Rachel
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
Friend of the podcast, Hilary Harris, is back sharing with us her family’s journey as special needs parents. Hilary & Rich are the parents of three beautiful girls, Millie (1), Haven, (3) and Jane (6) who lives with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a complex, rare, and severe childhood-onset epilepsy.
Hilary graciously invites us into her world and offers sound, practical, and needed advice on how we can interact, love, and approach those with special needs.
Click here for a great list of tips from Hilary!
Connect with Hilary on Instagram here.
Be sure to follow her blog here as well: www.hilaryharris.org
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
This week I had the honor of speaking with Amanda Auer, a mother of 4 who walked the difficult road of watching one of her daughters fight for her life. Amanda's unwavering faith inspired a movement. People around the world praying around the clock for the healing of her daughter.
Amanda shares with us how she mobilized the world, how she handles the valleys of life and how community impacted her family in one of the toughest seasons. Whether you are a Christ- follower or not Amanda's story will inspire hope and confirm your commitment to community.
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
- Micah 7:7
About Amanda:
Amanda Auer is a recovering event designer living in Orange County, California with her husband and 4 children. She spends her days at home peeling oranges and wiping yogurt off of the kitchen table. Her 3 eldest daughters homeschool part-time while she tends to her infant son in between math tests. She adores her musician husband of 16 years [and will talk your ear off about him if you allow], speaks frequently about the raw end of motherhood, and writes about her faith and life on instagram often. Her wheelhouses now include being a medical mama as well as engaging in kinship care, all of which she authentically documents online - attributing it all to God and giving Him glory for the way He has carried their family through. Connect with Amanda hereConnect with Rachel:
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
'Tis the most wonderful time of the year... unless you are a mom dreading the influx of 9 million small, annoying toys entering your home. Am I right? Today's guest, Rebekah Shaw, is all about that minimal life and she is sharing how we can create boundaries, allow people to bless us and still control the clutter in our homes.
As a mother of two, Rebekah knows first hand the amount of servitude it takes to be a mother. Her goal is to help you to live more intentionally and spend your time, energy and even money on the things that matter most. Rebekah’s non-legalist take on minimalism can be appreciated my mother’s in all seasons of life.
Connect with Rebekah here.
In this episode we discuss:
Resources from this episode:
Let's Connect!
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
Jess and Rachel get into all their feelings about the first 17 episodes of Honest Moms! They discuss favorite moments, how they have grown, and what's to come. Don't miss Jess' big announcement towards the end of the episode.
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
In this episode entrepreneur and new mama Jenn Stevens chats with us about how God gently led her away from what was familiar and right into where she is thriving today. After having her sweet baby Raelynn 29 weeks premature and a 83 day stay at the NICU she finds herself reaching for community and Gods undeniable strength and security. Jenn talks about trying to find the answer to WHY her baby came early, with no signs leading to an answer she explains how her faith showed her the way to peace . She refers to her re-claimed relationship with Jesus as a “beautiful climb” one that she can now depend on to get her through the tough times of parenthood. As a military wife she also talks about her husband being deployed for the first 6 months of their babies life, change and adapting. We hope you can find hope and relation as Jenn shares her heart and journey today.
In this episode Jenn talks about :Today we are digging into everyone's favorite topic... the Enneagram! Joining us is Enneagram enthusiast Hillary Harris. Hilary does an amazing job of explaining the difference between the Enneagram and other personality tools you may have used in the past. Defining the Enneagram as not a personality test but an educational dive into the motivations of your heart helps us move past simply seeing our behaviors and patterns and allows us to see our motivations.
Resources from this Episode:
Hilary's Roadmap to start your Enneagram Journey
Meet Hilary Harris
Hilary is a pastor and communicator at The Fathers House in Vacaville, Ca. where her husband Rich is also a Worship Pastor. Their lives were changed when their first daughter Jane was born. Jane lives with epilepsy, blindness, immobility and special needs. It is Hilary’s desire to share their story through writing and speaking, to bring hope, healing and laughter to others who have faced disappointment and tragedy.
Connect with us:
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
This week Rachel reveals the four tools she uses to battle anxiety. Deep work is needed to tackle our mental state and these four tools have helped Rachel to do just that.
A consistent theme is the need for self-awareness and communication with God, her family and her friends. Only through being self aware can she begin the process of using these tools.
This week Rachel discusses:
Resources mentioned this week:
Connect with us:
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This week Jess takes a deep look at an experience that both caught her off guard and encouraged her. After years of hard work, commitment to self growth, and 4 months of putting her body to the test Jess looked in the mirror one day and didn't recognize the girl looking back at her... in the very best way.
As women we can skew to the negative, the imperfections, and oft times miss the deep growth we have done within ourselves. This look in the mirror reflected a more confident, more peaceful, and more put together woman that she even knew was there. Let today's episode encourage you to look deeper at the growth you have already accomplished and celebrate it!
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
After facing her own health struggles and diagnoses of cervical cancer at just 25 years old Christina Pann dove into the world of holistic health. Her nearly 10 year journey has brought her to a place where she can share her wisdom on rebuilding her body. Christina is an avid researcher, passionate about health, and called to teach.
In this episode Christina explains stress hormones, their effect on our body, and how to combat them. The conversation becomes vulnerable when Christina shares recent bouts with panic and anxiety and what she is doing to combat them now that she is educated on how to handle stress.
Every mother, wife, and woman needs to hear Christina's advice on healthy ways handle the very real emotions we experience.
In this episode we discuss:
And for anyone who has not seen it, make sure to click here for Christina's favorite music video.
Connect with Christina:
https://www.christinapann.com/
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Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
In this completely unscripted, unplanned, and emotionally raw episode Rachel pulls back the curtain on a difficult day in her life. She has a raw dialogue about her bad day, raw emotions and what she is doing to get out of the funk, heal and move on.
Rachel discusses:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Connect with us:
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Visit www.honestmomspodcast.com for bios, blogs, resources and more.
Subscribe to Honest Moms email list to get the latest info from us! (scroll down to where the page says Let's Connect)
Music from this episode provided by Joseph McDade.
In this episode Jessica explores six ways to listen to your body and mind to become more aware of what you need vs. panicking about what is wrong.
Jessica candidly shares how these steps have affected her and helped her in hopes that they will lead you to what will benefit your life.
In this episode Jessica discusses:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Back to School: A time of year that every mom both celebrates and dreads and for good reason! On this episode Jess & Rachel discuss everything from their summer struggles, their best summer memories and how they are (or aren't) preparing for the school year ahead.
As the conversation progresses Jessica shares some wisdom any mom with any school situation will want to hear... YOUR MINDSET MATTERS. As she expands on how her actions, mindset and attitude have shifted the atmosphere of her family over the years you will be inspired to set your intentions in the same way.
If you listen to the end you'll get a special snack tip from Rachel and hear how we really feel about all you teachers (and YES that includes you homeschool mamas!).
In this episode Jessica & Rachel discuss:
This episode Jess & Rachel discuss the ways they have flamed the fire of passion inside each of them all while being mothers and walking the tight line of personal passion and the calls of motherhood.
In this episode Jess & Rachel discuss:
Self Care is a buzzword thrown around daily everywhere from Instagram to the Gym. But what does Self Care truly look like? How do you get into the habit? And what can it do to lead you back to your true identity? In this episode Rachel digs into all these questions and gives ideas on how she practices self care.
In this episode Rachel discusses:
Resources from this episode:
Co-dependency in motherhood can sneak up without notice. Jess dives deep in today's episode to asses her own journey in and out of co-dependency as well as lays out red flags you can address in your own life. As always this honest conversation is full of first hand experiences that have brought growth and deeper understanding of oneself.
In this episode Jess discusses:
The codependent has no personal identity, interests, or values outside of their codependent relationship. - Medical News Today
Both parties make their relationship a priority, but can find joy in outside interests, other friends, and hobbies. - Medical News Today
Jess ends this episode by giving each of us three questions to ask ourselves:
NEXT WEEK: Tune in Monday, July 15 to hear Rachel's tips for self care. This episode gives an in depth into how Rachel practices self care as well as tips for how you can incorporate self care into every day of your life.
Connect with us:
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Identity can be a tricky thing when we wear the title of Mom. In this episode Jess & Rachel share their own struggles with remaining true to themselves and being "Mom".
Co-dependency, self- care and resentment are all themes in this episode as we break down the circumstances that have led us to feel less ourselves and more like the expectations and stereotypes placed on us.
In this episode Jess & Rachel discuss:
NEXT WEEK: Make sure to tune in for Jess' episode exploring cp-dependency and how it can effect your identity as a mother.
Connect with us:
hello@honestmomspodcast.com
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Organized Chaos... the most accurate description of my life. It is insane but most of the time it is pretty organized. And not for the reasons you may think. Having our home, calendar, and daily rhythms organized actually makes me a better mom.
In this episode Rachel discusses:
Connect with us:
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Isolation is the enemy of community. We don’t want to see any of our sisters there. Over the years, through experience we have found four ways to run away from isolation and head right back into community.
In this episode Jess & Rachel discuss:
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Connect with us:
hello@honestmomspodcast.com
Visit www.honestmomspodcast.com for bios, blogs, resources and more.
Subscribe to Honest Moms email list to get the latest info from us! (scroll down to where the page says Let's Connect)
You get it, community is important but how do you cultivate a life giving community? In every season of motherhood from newborns to teenagers there are road blocks to creating the community you've always dreamed of. But there are practical things you can do.
In this episode Rachel discusses:
Connect with us:
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Having an encouraging community around you can drastically change your life. If you don’t have women around you lifting you up, speaking life, and encouraging you it’s time to find some.
In this episode Jess discusses:
Connect with us:
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We are so stoked to be starting this podcast adventure and get to know this community. To start things off get to know us a bit better! Click here to read more about both Jess & Rachel.
In this episode Jess & Rachel discuss:
Connect with us:
hello@honestmomspodcast.com
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